DOCTORS 

ENTRE  N0U5 


liversity  of  Califomi} 
Southern  Regional 
Library  Facility 


Short  Stones 
By 

JAME5  Bayard  Clark 


UCSB  LIBRARY 


Digitized  by  tlie  Internet  Arcliive 

in  2007  witliifuncling  from 

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littp://www.arcli  ive.org/details/doctorsentrenousOOclariala 


DOCTORS-^ 

ENTRE  NOUS 

Short  Stories 


By 

James  Bayard  Clark 


Illustrations  by 
Joseph  St.  Am  and 


Published  by 

The  Medical  Times  Company 

New  York 


Copjrright,  1922 
By  JAMES  BAYARD  CLARK 


Printed  by 

L.  MiDDLBDITCH  Co. 

New  York,  N.Y.    , 


DOCTORS^ 

ENTRE  NOUS 


Acknowledgment  is  made  to  The 
Medical  Pickwick  for  permission  to 
bring  these  stories  out  in  book  form 


Contents 

PAGE 

1 .  An  Unlooked  For  Conclusion     -      -      -  7 

2.  How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back        -      -      -        23 

3.  The  Narrow-Minded  Layman    -      -      -        46 


An  Unlocked  for  Conclusion 

THAT  The  Medical  Pickwick  should  have 
sent  me  a  pressing  and  personal  note  request- 
ing me  to  write  some  account  for  its  columns, 
and  that  I  should  have  received  this  note  the  very 
day  after  I  had  attended,  with  a  group  of  the  med- 
ical officers  from  the  Base  Hospital,  a  meeting  of 
the  Norris  County  Medical  Society  in  the  city  near- 
by, seems  like  a  happening  touched  with  a  little 
something  more  than  mere  coincidence. 

To  begin  with,  it  was  impossible  for  the  editor  of 
the  Pickwickian  publication  to  have  foreseen  what 
was  to  occur  at  this  meeting  (even  if  he  were  aware 
that  such  a  meeting  was  to  be  held),  just  as  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  know  what  did  occur  when 
he  wrote  to  me,  for  his  letter  ante-dated  by  several 
days  this  particular  gathering ;  so  I  still  say  it  seems 
more  than  an  ordinary  coincidence. 

From  almost  the  beginning  of  the  meeting  my 
mind  was  constantly  assailed  by  the  thought  that  I 
was  not  living  through  a  present-day  experience  at 
all;  but  what  was  going  on  about  me  was  no  more 
or  less  than  a  speaking  likeness  of  some  epoch  of 
Charles  Dickens's  matchless  imagery.  I  even  rec- 
ognized some  of  his  characters,  but  out  of  respect 
to  the  profession  they  go  unnamed. 

I  could  not  refrain  from  whispering  to  one  of 
7 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

my  companions,  at  the  time,  that  I  was  certain  the 
ghost  of  Dickens  was  directing  this  occasion — and, 
then,  on  the  following  morning  came  this  note  from 
Mr.  Pickwick,  as  it  were,  directing  me  to  make  a 
contribution  to  his  paper. 

So  I  will  try  and  write,  as  faithfully  as  I  can,  the 
account  of  that  evening. 

When  the  Norris  County  Medical  Society  sent 
an  invitation  to  the  Base  Hospital  of  this  great 
canvas  covered  camp  to  send  one  of  its  surgeons  to 
read  a  paper  before  the  members  of  that  society  and 
to  enter  into  discussion  with  said  society,  it  was 
cheerfully  and  sincerely  accepted.  The  Chief  of 
the  Surgical  Service  was  chosen  and  he  selected,  in 
good  time,  his  subject  for  reading  and  discussion. 

So,  when  the  evening  arrived,  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  of  the  Base  Hospital  staff  went  along  with 
Major  Dizern,  who  was  to  read  the  paper  before  the 
society.  With  military  promptitude  we  presented 
ourselves  at  eight  o'clock  on  the  seventh  floor  of 
the  Chess  Building  and  at  the  door  of  the  Norris 
County  Medical  Society  Club  rooms.  In  general 
character  and  appearance  these  club  rooms  were 
like  hundreds  of  others  the  country  over,  just  as 
were  the  medical  men  therein.  I  had  been  in  many 
such,  but  the  past  year  and  a  half,  spent  in  the  clean 
fresh  air  of  camp  life,  made  the  smoke-ladened  and 
breathed-over  air  of  the  place  seem  less  agreeable 
than  is  within  the  scope  of  ordinary  descriptive 
terms.     Hospitality  in  our  hosts  was  not  lacking, 

8 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

and,  after  some  introductions,  it  was  said  that  the 
meeting  was  to  be  "called  to  order."  The  society 
members,  most  of  whom  were  in  apathetic  little 
groups  here  and  there,  faced  somewhat  more  in  the 
direction  of  the  Chairman's  table  while  that  func- 
tionary moved  forward  and  at  the  same  time  the 
small  company  of  officers  took  their  seats  near  the 
center  of  the  room. 

By  the  time  the  Chairman  and  President  of  the 
Norris  County  Medical  Society  had  reached  his 
place  of  distinction  at  the  center  of  the  table  and, 
with  considerable  dignity,  seated  himself,  the  mem- 
bers and  guests  were  in  their  places.  At  his  right, 
and  sitting  at  the  end  of  the  table,  was  the  female 
member  of  the  Norris  County  Medical  Society,  and 
she  evidently  was  also  its  recording  secretary — a. 
person  of  perhaps  fifty  odd  and  presenting  a  rather 
pleasing  and  decidedly  better  cared-for  appearance 
than  most  of  her  fellow  members.  Why  a  woman 
wants  to  vote  or  be  a  doctor  is  generally  pretty 
hard  to  understand.  This  lady,  however,  who 
seemed  entirely  feminine  and  amiable,  gave  no 
special  outward  evidence  of  why  her  natural 
womanly  course  had  been  deflected  and  why  she 
had  taken  up  the  males'  duties  in  this  vicinity,  until 
your  glance  passed  over  the  males  themselves;  if 
she  did  it  for  that  reason,  then  she  was  a  noble 
woman. 

As  the  President,  with  true  presidential  poise, 
fingered  the  gavel  and  cast  his  eyes  over  the  assem- 

9 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

bly,  a  little  space  of  time  was  furnished  to  gather 
ill  a  few  more  impressions  of  those  who  practiced 
the  art  of  healing  in  this  community. 

Just  as  it  is  impossible  to  tell  how  far  a  toad  can 
hop  by  its  color,  so  it  would  be  equally  unfair  to 
pass  too  hasty  a  judgment  on  the  professional  ability 
of  the  members  of  the  Norris  County  Medical  So- 


ciety from  just  looking  at  them.  Yet,  as  the  eye 
traveled  from  those  rows  of  erect,  clear-skinned, 
well-nourished,  bright-eyed,  alert  Medical  Officers 
to  the  poor-conditioned  "members,"  perched  in 
varying  attitudes  about  the  room,  it  was  difficult  to 
down  some  of  the  more  obvious  conclusions  fur- 
nished by  what  the  scientists  call  "comparative 
study."  At  that  moment,  however,  this  little  study 
was  brought  to  a  sharp  finish,  for  with  a  wholly 
unexpected  vigor  the  president  brought  his  gavel 
down  upon  the  table  with  a  resounding  bang. 
Whether  most  of  the  members  were  deaf  or  whether 
he   was   not   quite  sure   everybody  knew  he  was 

10 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

president,  was  hard  to  tell ;  but  his  expression  as  he 
committed  that  violence  to  the  table  was  in  entire 
keeping  with  one  in  very  high  office. 

As  he  rose  slowly  to  his  feet,  the  mallet  still 
vibrating  in  his  hand,  a  welcome  on  behalf  of  the 
society,  so  he  said,  was  extended  to  the  visiting 
Medical  Officers  of  the  Army  Camp  their  city  en- 
tertained upon  its  outskirts.  When  he  had  gotten 
entirely  upright  and  in  fitting  presidential  attitude, 
he  called  attention  (the  Medical  Officers'  attention) 
to  the  depleted  ranks  of  his  own  society;  how  a 
very  considerable  number,  those  who  could  best  be 
spared,  had  gone,  how  others,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  limit  of  age,  or  the  pressing  necessity  of  the 
community  or,  as  in  a  number  of  instances  among 
the  younger  men,  an  expected  addition  to  the 
family,  or  an  ailing  aunt  who  depended  on  them  or 
some  other  fortuitous  circumstance  had  frustrated 
their  "hopes"  of  joining  the  Army. 

The  next  subject  the  president  touched  on  was  a 
proposal  to  the  members  of  the  society  to  show  any 
cases.  This  was  followed  by  a  thinking  spell.  Were 
there  any  reports  of  cases?  Another  thinking  spell, 
even  longer  than  the  first,  was  finally  followed  by 
a  little  presidential  persuasion,  which  finally  brought 
one  of  the  young  members  to  his  feet.  He  reported 
a  case.  After  another  period  of  mental  searching, 
someone  evidently  concluded  that  if  the  young  man 
could  get  away  with  such  a  case  as  he  reported 
there  was  room  for  another,  so  member  number 

11 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

two  rose  and  commenced  the  recitation  of  his  case. 
I  cannot  remember  at  all  what  he  said,  but  he  kept 
on  for  some  little  time  saying  it — when  number 
three  arose  about  eight  feet  away  from  number  two 
and  started  to  talk  about  his  case.  When  number 
three  commenced,  someone  whispered  in  my  ear 
that  that  was  Dr.  Stayon,  their  surgeon,  who  limited 
his  practice  to  nothing  but  surgery.  I  said  I  was 
glad  to  hear  it  was  limited.  When  the  speakers 
were  both  going  nicely,  I  stole  a  glance  at  our  of- 
ficers' row,  but  not  an  eyelid  flickered  as  they  sat 
at  attention.  If  the  president  noticed  anything  in 
the  way  of  a  slight  parliamentary  prolapse,  he 
made  no  comment  on  it,  and  perhaps  he  was  wise, 
for  it  was  very  soon  evident  (though  neither 
speaker  seemed  to  be  aware  of  the  other's  presence) 
that  number  two  showed  signs  of  running  down 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  Dr.  Stayon,  with  apparent 
unconsciousness,  seemed  to  be  getting  a  better  foot- 
ing. He  was  a  rather  tall  and  oldish  man  with  a 
little  thin,  flat  hair  pasted  down  above  a  little  thin 
flat  face,  who  seemed  to  have  difficulty  in  giving 
birth  to  more  than  three  or  four  words  a  minute, 
or  at  least  that  was  the  impression  his  speaking 
gave  me.  By  this  time  it  was  all  over  with  number 
two  who  sat  down  without  anyone  in  the  world 
paying  the  slightest  heed  to  him.  Even  Dr.  Stayon 
was  seemingly  unaware  of  his  eclipse.  There  was 
no  resentment  anywhere  evident,  even  number  two 
seemed  to  have  none. 

The  doctor  who  limited  his  practice  to  surgery 
12 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 


kept  on  quietly  delving  behind  an  imaginary  duo- 
denum and  somehow  could  not  make  clear  with  the 
limited  number  of  words  his  speech  area  was  pro- 
viding his  tongue  with,  just  what  he  was  after  there 
— when  for  a  moment  or  so  he  stopped  entirely.  It 
could  presently  be  seen  that  something  was  stirring 
inside  of  him.  It  was  soon  apparent  that  it  was  an 
idea,  for  he  looked  around  at  the  blackboard  behind 
the  President's  desk;  then  he  moved  over  to  it  and 
picking  up  a  piece  of  chalk,  he  applied  it  very 
firmly  and  began  what  seemed  to  be  intended  for  a 
circle,  but  before  he  got  half  way  round  the  much- 
put-upon  piece  of  chalk  broke,  and  his  finger  nail 
was  finishing  the  job  with  a  jarring  creak,  when  he 
noticed  what  had  happened.  The  audience,  though 
quiet,  was  smoking  hard.  I  did  not  dare  look  at 
Major  Dizern,  sitting  opposite  me,  when  he  started 
once  more.  This  time  the 
chalk  held,  for  it  wasn't 
long  enough  to  break 
again.  He  finished  out  the 
stroke  his  finger  nail  had 
failed  on,  and  made  a  sur- 
vey. He  had  completed  a 
half  circle.  Then  he  drew 
lines  below  and  extending 
broadly  on  each  side  of  the 
crown  his  chalk  had 
crumbled  on.  He  stood 
away.  He  approached 
again.  He  had  accom- 
plished   a    very    creditable 

13 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

outline  of  a  lady's  hat ;  but  it  could  be  seen  he  had 
not  finished,  for  there  was  the  plume,  or  the  decora- 
tion or  whatever  women  call  the  thing  they  fasten 
aft  or  amidship  of  the  crown,  to  be  added,  and 
which  he  immediately  began  to  supply;  and  soon  it 
rose  above  the  crown  and  quite  gracefully  leaned 
over  to  one  side  a  little.  I  said  to  myself,  "he's 
having  trouble  with  the  feather,"  although  it  really 
looked  more  like  a  cucumber.  Again  he  stood  away, 
and  I  looked  at  the  man  next  to  me  who  had  said 
he  limited  his  practice  to  surgery  only,  but  the  man 
was  looking  at  the  picture  and  as  Dr.  Stayon  had 
commenced  to  demonstrate  his  drawing,  I  turned 
my  attention  to  the  artist.  "This,"  .said  the  doctor, 
pointing  to  the  crown,  "is  the  tumor  I  was  telling 
you  of,  and  this,"  indicating  the  brim  of  the  bonnet, 
"is  the  loop  of  intestine  to  which  it  was  attached" ; 
and  then  very  slowly,  as  he  brought  his  forefinger 
to  the  cucumber,  "this  is  a  large  piece  of  omentum 
which  'came  away'  with  the  specimen."  With  this 
he  walked  back  to  his  chair  and  sat  down. 

The  room  seemed  very  still.  Somebody  started 
to  wind  a  watch.  I  looked  at  mine,  then  I  looked 
at  the  president,  but  he  gave  no  evidence  of  any- 
thing unusual  having  happened ;  in  fact,  he  was  just 
about  to  speak.  "Gentlemen,  any  discussion  on  the 
case  of  Dr.  Stayon?"  Short  but  rather  painful 
pause.  "If  not,  gentlemen,  I  should  like  to  take 
upon  myself  the  pleasure  of  introducing  to  you 
Major  Dizern,  who  will  read  the  paper  of  the 
evening." 

Let  me  say  here,  that  in  giving  this  account  of 
14 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

that  evening,  it  is  not  my  intention  to  make  any 
comment  or  to  criticise  in  any  way  the  proceedings, 
but  to  record  as  simply  as  I  can  what  took  place. 

As  Major  Dizern  was  called  upon  he  rose 
promptly  in  response  and  came  forward.  Some- 
how, as  he  turned  his  alert  bright  face  with  its  glow 
of  health  and  vitality  toward  the  members,  the 
mental  fog  which  had  been  settling  down  on  the 
society  seemed  suddenly  to  vanish.  But  that,  of 
course,  may  only  be  an  outsider's  viewpoint. 

"The  subject  I  have  selected,"  he  said,  "is  that 
of  'Local  Anesthesia.' "  Then  with  that  clean-cut 
and  concise  force  which  is  characteristic  of  all  he 
has  to  say  or  do,  he  drove  straight  forward  to  the 
very  heart  of  his  topic.  There  seemed  to  be  no 
missing  his  meaning.  After  clearly  and  rapidly 
reviewing  the  pioneer  work  in  this  field  of  surgery, 
he  took  up  the  technical  side  of  the  subject  and  told 
of  the  elements  essential  to  its  success.  For  a  few 
moments  he  dwelt  on  the  necessity  of  a  refreshed 
knowledge  of  anatomy,  of  regional  anatomy  and  its 
nerve  trunk  relationship,  and  the  distribution  of  the 
sensory  nerves  to  be  dealt  with.  He  then  told  of 
the  drugs  in  use  and  the  manner  of  using  them. 
After  that  he  gave  a  brief  but  brilliant  account  of 
all  that  local  anesthesia  skilfully  used  had  accom- 
plished in  the  mitigation  of  human  suffering  and 
the  actual  saving  of  human  life.  He  drove  home 
until  there  seemed  left  not  the  least  remnant  of 
reasonable  doubt  that  it  was  paramount  to  criminal 
neglect  to  use  ether  and  chloroform  and  the  older 
time  methods  of  general  anesthesia  in  that  count- 

15 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

less  number  of  cases  where  the  surgeon,  with  a 
little  study  and  little  care,  could  employ  a  safer  and 
surer  way;  a  way  which  would  not  only  banish  the 
danger  and  distress  to  his  patient,  but  would  cut 
down  the  period  of  his  post-operative  course  and 
put  him  back  to  normal  in  the  shortest  possible 
time. 

With  that  his  paper  was  ended.  Then  with  that 
buoyant  smile,  ever  so  near  the  surface  with  him, 
he  looked  across  at  his  audience  and  said,  "Gentle- 
men, I  want  to  thank  you  for  your  kind  attention." 
With  that,  he  returned  to  his  seat.  It  seemed  as  if 
an  express  train  had,  on  passing  through  a  desolate 
island  stopped  just  long  enough  to  momentarily 
break  a  deadly  monotony  and  leave  a  little  actual 
food  for  its  starving  inhabitants.  But  my  thoughts 
were  soon  banished  by  the  president's  conventional 
announcement  that  the  subject  was  now  open  for 
discussion. 

Before  very  long  one  of  the  "members"  rose  from 
a  corner.  "President  and  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "I 
want  to  tell  you  something  of  my  experience  with 
anesthetics."  (He  spoke  as  if  after  a  lifetime 
struggle,  he  had  finally  emerged  into  the  open 
places.)  "Some  years  ago,  I  discovered  that  the 
bad  effect  of  ether  could  be  completely  counteracted. 

"This  I  have  repeatedly  told  the  members  of  this 
society.  By  the  method  I  employ  there  is  no  need 
to  hurry  with  the  operation  while  the  patient  is 
'under.'  I  do  not  now  see  the  nausea  and  vomiting 
following  operations  on  my  patients.  Though  I 
use  ether  liberally  I   do  not  see  the   nausea  and 

16 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 


vomiting  afterwards."  (Some  imp  in  my  brain 
whispered  that  he  was  probably  at  home  eating  his 
dinner.)  "I  have  used  this  method  so  long  that 
I  do  not  see  the  use  of  changing  now.  My 
method  is  this:  Before  the  operation  I  give  my 
patient  a  dose  of  soda — bicarbonate  of  soda." 
Whereupon  he  sat  down.  That  was  the  first 
contribution  to  Major  Dizern's  paper. 

I  looked  around  just  in  time  to  see  Major  Tall 
slipping  out  of  the  door.  The  rest  of  the  offi- 
cers, however,  sat  tight.  The  next  speaker  rose 
from  near  the  center  of  the  room.  It  is  remark- 
able how  details  sometimes  stick  in  the  memory. 
A  passerby  certainly  would  not  have  picked  this 
gentleman  as  one  of  the  profession.  He  seemed 
to  be  eating  an  unlit  cigar  which,  as  he  began 
speaking,  he  held  in  his  hand  which  rested  on  his 
protruding  waistcoat. 
"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "I 
have  been  much  interested 
in  the  major's  paper  be- 
cause I  have  tried  out  one 
of  the  preparations  of 
local  anesthetics  he  has 
mentioned.  It  was  put 
up  by  what  I  supposed 
was  a  reputable  firm.  I 
used  it  in  fourteen  dif- 
ferent cases  and  in  thir- 
teen of  them  the  opera- 
tion was  followed  by 
sloughing.    '  I  should  like 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

to  inquire  of  the  major  if  this  has  been  his  ex- 
perience ?" 

Major  Dizern  rose  to  answer  this  question.  "I 
have  had  quite  a  little  experience,"  he  said,  "in 
the  use  of  this  preparation,  but  I  have  not  seen 
the  result  following  its  use  the  doctor  speaks  of. 
From  what  the  doctor  has  told  us  I  am  unable 
to  say  why  the  sloughing  he  speaks  of  occurred." 

Presently,  after  another  little  Norris  County 
interval  of  waiting,  another  of  the  members  got 
up.  I  looked  in  his  direction.  It  was  Doctor 
Stayon — would  he  tell  it  or  draw  it  on  the  black- 
board? I  could  not  help  wondering.  But  he 
chose  the  former  carrier  of  thought  and  launched 
slowly  into  the  none  too  clear  stream  of  ideas 
he  had  to  sail  upon;  but  I  lack  the  temerity  to 
take  my  reader  on  that  voyage.  In  brief,  the  fol- 
lowing sentiments  on  the  subject  under  discus- 
sion (but  never  actually  discussed)  may  be  taken 
to  fairly  represent  this  surgeon's  state  of  mind 
upon  the  matter.  Yes,  he  was  familiar  with  the 
present  opinion  that  a  good  deal  of  the  routine 
surgery  could  be  done  under  local  anesthesia ; 
but  it  took  considerably  more  of  the  surgeon's 
time  than  he  felt  able  to  give  to  follow  this 
method.  Then  there  was  all  the  added  trouble 
of  teaching  a  staff  of  assistants  new  ways.  He 
had  started  once  or  twice  to  institute  local  anes- 
thesia as  a  regular  thing  in  certain  cases ;  but  he 
guessed  he  perhaps  had  been  too  lazy  to  pursue 
it  as  a  regular  procedure.  Another  objection 
was,   that    it   took   a  good    deal   more   energy   to 

18 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

operate  in  this  way  and  in  the  presence  of  a  con- 
scious patient.  "And  then  one  naturally  slips 
back  into  the  old  ways  one  is  accustomed  to." 
The  time  it  took  to  tell  this  was  the  time  the 
minute  hand  takes  to  cover  a  little  more  than 
half  its  circuit. 

Two  or  three  more  of  the  overtired  looking 
members  then  spoke  and,  on  the  whole,  rather 
sided  with  their  anemic  colleague  who  "limited 
his  practice  to  surgery."  Further  prodding  or 
persuasion  from  the  presidential  seat  failed  to 
furnish  any  additional  "discussion."  As  I  look 
back  now,  it  seems  to  me  that  this  perhaps  was 
fortunate,  for  from  where  I  sat  I  had  been  well 
able  to  study  the  expression  of  Major  Dizern's 
face  as  the  debate  proceeded.  The  expression 
of  those  features  which  usually  radiated  such  a 
friendly  sense  seemed  to  have  accumulated  a 
look  by  no  means  easy  to  interpret.  Something 
there  was  which  had  upset  the  serenity  of  that 
extraordinarily  even  temper.  His  was  not  a 
nature  to  take  offense  at  nothing.  Yet  the  gath- 
ering seriousness  of  his  face  foreboded  some- 
thing. Of  personalities  in  the  proceedings  there 
were  none.  What  was  there,  then,  that  caused 
the  setting  of  those  mental  muscles?  But  the 
president  had  risen  from  his  seat  and  started 
speaking.  "Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "you  have 
heard  the  discussion  of  the  paper."  Then,  turn- 
ing to  Major  Dizern,  he  said :  "Have  you  any- 
thing further  which  you  wish  to  say  on  this 
subject?"     Major  Dizern  rose  and  turned  so  that 

19 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

he  faced  all  the  members  of  the  Norris  County 
Medical  Society.  He  faced  them  with  a  level 
look  which  somehow  lifted  the  attention  on  to 
tip  toes, 

"No,"  he  said,  "I  have  nothing  further  I  wish 
to  say  on  this  subject."  After  which  he  paused 
— one  might  say  he  stopped,  so  altogether  final 
did  his  statement  seem ;  and  yet  he  still  stood 
where  he  was  with  his  eyes  fastened  on  his  audi- 
tors. He  was  no  orator;  yet  it  was  the  orator's 
arch  act  to  bring  to  focus  every  particle  of  atten- 
tion, which  he  unconsciously  employed.  As  he 
stood  there  one  could  feel  that  emotion  which 
was  being  held  in  check ;  yet  the  control  was  per- 
fect. "No,"  he  repeated,  "I  have  nothing  fur- 
ther which  I  wish  to  say  on  the  subject  we  have 
had  under  discussion."  The  way  he  said  this 
reminded  one  of  that  stillness  which  one  feels 
sometimes  before  the  storm.  "What  is  there  to 
say,"  and  this  time  his  voice  rang  out,  "to  men 
who  are  not  fit — not  physically  fit,  by  their  own 
acknowledgment — to  march  in  the  progress  their 
profession  is  making?"  The  storm  had  broken. 
"What  use  is  there  to  discuss  a  serious  subject, 
a  subject,  the  importance  of  which  is  charged  with 
no  less  an  issue  than  the  saving  of  human  suf- 
fering and  human  life,  with  men  who  make  the 
acknowledgment  that  they  are  too  busy  to  bother 
or  too  lazy  to  learn  the  way  to  advance?  What 
use  is  there  for  men  to  pursue  the  profession  of 
medicine  who  will  not  keep  themselves  physi- 
cally fit  for  the  fight?     Who  are  poisoning  them- 

20 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

selves  by  tobacco  and  perhaps  alcohol;  who  are 
poisoned  by  over-eating  and  lack  of  active  out- 
door exercise?  Who  let  themselves  run  down 
and  then  dare  to  take  on  the  responsibility  of 
the  physician's  or  surgeon's  life,  which  means  the 
greatest  of  all  human  responsibility,  and  calls  for 
the  greatest  of  all  personal  sacrifices,  and  demands 
the  upkeep  of  the  most  perfect  physical  condition?" 

When  he  said  this  last  I  could  not  but  look 
at  those  two  rows  of  well-muscled  and  all  alive 
medical  officers  who  had  gotten  from  their  year 
or  two  of  Army  service  the  secret  of  health  and 
hardiness.  If  the  members  of  the  Norris  County 
Medical  Society  could  only  see  them  at  sun  rise 
going  through  their  "setting-up"  stunts  that 
started  their  day,  how  it  would  help  them  to 
understand  what  Major  Dizern  was  driving  at — 
"What  right,"  the  speaker  was  saying,  "have 
men  to  take  the  oath  to  first  of  all  serve  the 
interests  of  the  sick  and  then  straightway  turn 
it  to  personal  profit  or,  worse,  to  personal  neg- 
lect?" With  that  he  walked  to  his  chair  and 
seated  himself.  Never  before  have  I  seen  or 
heard  of  such  a  conclusion  to  a  medical  gather- 
ing. Nothing,  I  believe,  was  further  from  Major 
Dizern's  mind,  when  he  came  that  evening,  that 
such  would  be  its  ending.  I  have  tried  to  record 
what  passed  without  prejudice  and  have  finished 
my  task. 

After  Major  Dizern  sat  down,  there  was  a 
peculiar  silence.  The  President's  tongue  seemed 
paralyzed  or,  at  least,  he  was  unable  to  furnish 

21 


An  Unlooked  for  Conclusion 

a  concluding  note.  The  fat  man,  who  had 
earlier  been  eating  a  cigar,  stood  up;  I  think 
someone  had  poked  him  from  behind. 

"What — what  right,"  he  said,  "has  anyone  to 
criticise  the  professional  conduct  of  the  N.  C. 
M.  S.?" 

He  stood  there  vibrating,  as  flustered  fat  men 
will,  and  waiting  for  further  inspiration,  when 
the  female  member  of  the  society,  her  eyes  bright 
and  her  cheeks  a  little  flushed,  rose  to  her  full 
height,  looking  straight  at  the  fat  man,  and  said : 

"What  right?  By  the  right  of  fair  dealing  to 
the  patients  who  trust  their  lives  in  our  hands. 
Oh !  I  wish  I  had  been  a  man !" 


22 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

IT  looked  somewhat,  when  Captain  Jones  got 
out  of  the  service,  as  if  he  might  not  recover 
his  usual  pre-war  poise  and  peace  of  mind. 
Weeks  went  by  after  his  return  to  the  bosom  of 
his  family  and  it  seemed  as  if  he  was  never  to  be 
the  same  old  happy  and  capable  friend  and  father 
again.  But  he  did  come  back  finally,  and  had  it 
not  been  so  this  record  of  his  strange  recovery 
could  never  have  been  known  or  related  here. 

Dr.  George  Harvey  Jones,  as  he  was  known  in 
ante-bellum  days,  was  a  man  among  men.  Bred  of 
the  best  stock  in  one  of  our  larger  cities,  he  had 
forged  his  way  forward  to  the  leading  surgical  posi- 
tion in  not  only  the  city,  but  far  wide  of  it.  To 
those  in  civil  medical  practice  his  scientific  attain- 
ments need  not  be  told.  As  a  man  he  had  certain 
marked  characteristics,  for  which,  by  those  who 
knew  him  well,  he  was  deeply  respected  and  joyfully 
loved.  He  was  too  modest  and  retiring,  besides 
being  too  busy,  to  have  a  host  of  intimate  friends, 
but  the  quality  of  his  professional  work  assured  a 
broad  acquaintance.  He  was  tall  and  rather  slender, 
with  a  slight  stoop;  but  it  was  by  the  lines  of  his 
face  which  marked  for  the  intelligent  student  of 
human  nature  what  manner  of  man  he  really  was. 
He  was  only  a  little  way  on  in  the  fifties  when  the 
war  broke  out,  though  he  looked  considerably  older. 
This  may  have   been    partly   due   to   the   thinnish 

23 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

whiskers  touched  with  gray.  One  needed  only  a 
glance  to  see  that  his  exercise  had  been  largely 
mental  rather  than  muscular.  To  the  young  snap- 
shot student  of  men  he  was  rather  a  queer-looking 

guy. 

In  his  face  one  who  saw,  saw  first  of  all  an  unusual 
force  of  character  tempered  by  a  rare  kindness  of 
nature;  and  in  his  eyes  a  humor  which  seldom  lost 
the  fun  of  life.  This  last  trait,  however,  by  the  time 
1917  came  upon  us,  had  been  almost  sunk  out  of 
sight  by  the  tragedy  of  war  which  none  can  know  or 
none  may  feel  as  deeply  as  the  doctor  himself.  The 
shattered  frame  of  youth,  the  fearful  mutilation, 
the  suffering,  the  dreadful  sickness,  and  the  death 
which  is  the  medical  man's  part  of  the  war  game 
to  do  for  and  deal  with,  must  leave  its  mark  on 
every  sincere  and  humane  surgeon's  mind. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  in  April  of  1917,  when 
First  Lieutenant  Jones  sallied  forth  in  a  uniform  he 
appeared  a  rather  odd  figure.  For  some  years  he 
had  been  on  the  books  of  the  Medical  Reserve 
Corps,  and  this  it  was  that  made  him  available  for 
the  first  call  for  physicians.  Although  he  had  at- 
tended for  the  allotted  period  of  eight  days  a  medi- 
cal officers'  camp  a  year  or  two  previous,  they  had 
not  made  of  him  a  very  snappy  military  personage. 
Of  this  fact,  however,  he  was  quite  unconscious. 
What  had  been  impressed  on  his  mind  at  this  camp, 
though,  had  been  carefully  stored  away  in  his  brain, 
and  had  been  made  a  subject  of  considerable  thought 
and  consequence  to  him.  He  had  left  that  camp 
which  had  given  him  his  first  military  inlook  with 

24 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

a  very  strong  belief  that  it  was  the  military  surgeon 
and  not  the  civil  surgeon  who  deserved  re- 
spect for  personal  sacrifice  in  the  choice  of 
his  profession.  Here  he  had  become  acquainted 
with  a  kind  of  medical  man  he  had  not 
known  before.  Here  were  sincere,  earnest  and 
scientific  men  who,  thinking  nothing  of  personal  ad- 
vancement, were  giving  their  all  of  talents  to  the 
cause  of  sanitation  and  the  prevention  of  illness; 
who  were  giving  their  best  of  manly  service  to  their 
country,  and  all  for  a  pittance,  while  the  civilian 
doctor  drove  from  house  to  house  collecting  large 
fees  in  a  comfortable  automobile. 

In  listening  to  the  lectures  of  these  Medical  Of- 
ficers, Dr.  Jones  could  not  know  that  the  entire 
Medical  Corps  of  the  regular  establishment  was  not 
perfectly  reflected  by  these  four  or  five  fine  men 
who  represented  so  well  by  their  own  personalities 
what  an  Army  Medical  Corps  should  be. 

With  avidity  he  drank  up  the  words  of  military 
knowledge  and  wisdom  they  poured  out.  Through 
their  lectures  on  army  discipline  his  own  ideas  of 
faithful  obedience  to  one's  commanding  officer  were 
crystalized,  should  one  be  called  on  to  serve  one's 
country.  He  idealized  that  relationship  between  the 
superior  and  inferior  officer  even  to  the  point  of 
always  endowing  one's  commander  with  wisdom 
and  real  knowledge.    He  made  it  his  faith. 

It  was  with  this  military  equipment  Dr.  Jones 
eagerly  entered  on  his  service  as  Lieut.  Jones  and 
made  ready  to  rely  on  the  wisdom  of  any  order  or 
on  any  duty  assigned  to  him.    Of  rank  for  himself 

25 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

he  gave  no  thought;  that  was  for  those  into  whose 
hands  he  gladly  and  trustfully  gave  himself  to 
determine. 

He  knew  the  grim  task  which  the  people  of  his 
country  had  before  them  and  he  wanted  his  share 
of  it.  He  also  knew  his  share  measured  by  his 
ability  and  experience  would  be  no  light  task  or 
foolish  frittering  away  of  time  on  schoolboy's  duties 
or  calisthenic  exercises.  By  his  ability  as  a  surgeon 
he  had  risen  to  the  foremost  rank;  by  his  ability 
as  an  organizer  he  had  the  building  up  of  one  of  the 
most  important  hospitals  in  his  part  of  the  country 
to  his  credit;  by  his  energy  and  constancy  he  had 
accustomed  himself  to  a  large  daily  task.  These 
things  he  wished  his  country  to  have  the  full  benefit 
of  in  the  hour  of  her  need.  And  it  was  these  things 
that  filled  Lieut.  Jones's  mind  on  that  bright  April 
morning  in  1917,  when  he  received  his  orders  for 
duty  from  the  War  Department. 

Let  us  here  draw  a  pall  over  most  of  the  details 
of  the  following  two  years  of  military  duty  as  it  fell 
to  the  share  of  Lieut.  Jones,  who  later  on  and  before 
the  forces  of  war  were  dispersed,  became  Captain 
Jones  of  the  Medical  Corps.  The  record  will  show 
with  what  celerity  and  care  each  duty  assigned  to 
him,  no  matter  how  simple  or  trivial,  was  carried 
out.  After  a  few  weeks  devoted  to  counting  teeth 
in  a  recruiting  station,  under  the  direction  of  one 
of  his  previous  students  he  was  sent  to  the  training 
camp  for  doctors. 

Here  he  followed  out  the  schedule  of  daily  duties 
with  minute  care,  devotedly  trying  to  extract  from 

26 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

the  curriculum  some  useful  bit  of  knowledge  which 
he  might  apply  later  to  the  cause  he  had  so  much 
at  heart.  He  saw  what  a  splendid  thing  the  en- 
forced exercise  and  protracted  daily  hikes  were  for 
the  young  men  in  the  barracks  with  him,  and  he 
tried  to  keep  his  mind  as  much  as  possible  off  the 
all  too  obvious  results,  both  immediate  and  future, 


involved  in  running  the  elderly,  fat  and  wind- 
broken  medical  gentlemen  up  hill  and  down  dale. 
Of  himself  he  thought  not  at  all,  further  than  to 
make  a  mental  note  of  the  fact  that  he  remembered 
he  had  paid  his  life  insurance  up  to  date. 

After  two  months  of  military  polishing  and  with 
hardly  any  physical  impairment  as  a  result,  the 
longed-for  overseas  orders  arrived. 

In  due  time  the  little  group  of  medical  material 
of  which  he  was  one,  found  itself  in  France.  They 
were  destined  for  service  with  the  British  forces 
at  the  front  who  were  sorely  in  need  of  fresh  medi- 
cal replacements.    For  some  reason  or  other  Lieut. 

27 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

Jones  felt  a  gladness  which  it  was  hard  for  him  to 
understand.  He  loved  his  country  and  he  had  lost 
no  time  in  placing  himself  in  his  country's  service 
where  he  felt  he  was  best  fitted  to  be  of  some  actual 
use,  and  yet  this  assignment  with  the  British  pleased 
him.  But  this  was  no  time  for  the  solving  of  per- 
sonal problems ;  there  was  work  at  hand  to  be  done, 
and  he  went  to  it.  He  got  along  famously  with  his 
new  associates.  Not  that  he  had  failed  to  get  on 
with  the  regulars  of  the  Medical  Corps  at  home  who 
had  commanded  him,  for  he  had.  It  was  for  them 
to  do  the  bidding  and  for  him  to  fall  to,  and  there 
had  never  been  the  slightest  hitch.  He  somehow  or 
other  seemed  soon  to  become  great  friends  with 
these  quiet,  apparently  indifferent  British  officers, 
with  whom  he  was  now  working  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der. They  somehow  seemed  to  understand  each 
other.  He  was  only  a  day  or  two  at  the  rather 
simple  tasks  first  found  for  him  when  they  had 
something  more  important  for  him  to  do.  This  also 
was  only  a  transient  place,  for  without  seemingly 
to  notice  the  manner  of  his  work  or  its  results  they 
quietly  raised  him  to  more  responsibility,  which  in 
his  simple  way  of  doing  things,  he  as  quietly  took 
hold  of. 

It  seemed  as  though  these  British  fellows  knew 
without  thinking  about  it  just  what  this  new  Lieut. 
Jones  of  theirs  could  do,  and  they  gave  it  to  him — 
and  he  did  it. 

It  was  almost  three  months  that  he  had  been 
with  them,  these  splendid,  purposeful,  forward 
plodding,  kindhearted,  discerning  British  friends  of 

28 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 


his — for  they  had  really  become  friends — when  the 
orders  came  which  were  to  see  him  back  with  his 
own  people  again.  When  he  said  good-bye  to  them 
he  wore  the  little  ribbons  which  betokened  their 
appreciation  of  his  services  while  he  was  with  them, 
but  when  he  got  back  to  the  unit  and  to  his  people 
again  the  ribbons  were  in  his  pocket  along  with  the 
medals  they  stood  for.  Somehow  he  did  not  know 
just  why  he  did  this. 

In  his  new  assignment  Lieut.  Jones  had  for  a 
time  considerable  leisure.  The  hospital  which  had 
only  recently  been  set  up  had  hardly  begun  to  func- 
tion. The  young  medical  officer  in  command  was 
plotting  out  this  and  that  kind  of  treatment  while 
the  administrative  affairs  limped  along.  There  was 
a  tension  in  the  atmosphere  of  an  indefinite  charac- 
ter which  was  not  altogether  easy  to  explain.  Two 
or  three  majors  who  had 
just  been  taken  into  the 
service,  and  who  had 
held  off  going  in  until 
they  were  sure  of  a 
higher  rank,  arrived 
from  the  other  side. 
One  of  these  young  men 
Lieut.  Jones  knew,  as 
only  a  few  years  ago  he 
had  been  one  of  Lieut. 
Jones's  internes  in  his 
hospital  at  home.  It  was 
only  a  few  days  after 
this  that  Lieut.  Jones  was 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

transferred  to  another  unit;  and  this  time,  happily 
for  him,  a  fairly  busy  one.  It  was  here  that  some  fate 
had  marked  for  him  a  halting  place;  for  here  he 
remained  many  consecutive  months.  The  young 
Colonel  in  command,  who  had  been  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  regular  corps  when  the  war  came  upon  our 
country,  was  especially  keen  to  try  out  many  methods 
of  surgical  care  as  well  at  the  same  time  to  ad- 
minister the  executive  side  of  the  hospital.  Others 
as  well  as  Lieut.  Jones  saw  the  future  of  this  plan. 
It  is  perhaps  best  at  this  point  to  bridge  over  any 
further  record  of  Lieut.  Jones's  army  experiences 
with  but  very  few  words.  That  he  was  quickly 
responsive  to  all  that  he  was  called  upon  to  do. 
That  he  faithfully  watched  for  an  opportunity 
where  his  own  initiative  could  be  brought  usefully 
into  play.  That  he  was  as  wholly  indifferent  to  his 
own  comfort  or  personal  advancement  as  he  was 
entirely  possessed  to  see  his  country's  cause  intel- 
ligently, energetically  and  economically  carried 
forward. 

With  these  things  in  mind  then,  the  unrest  which 
slowly  worked  its  baneful  way  into  the  sensitive  soul 
of  First  Lieut.  Jones  can  perhaps  in  pajt  be  ap- 
preciated. But  heavy  of  heart  as  he  was  he  did  his 
duty  and — as  the  British  say — "stuck  it"  until  the 
very  day  of  his  discharge. 

Then  it  was  that  this  curious  inhibition  seemed 
to  seize  hold  of  him.  The  reaction  had  come  at 
last,  and  when  he  was  free  to  tell  the  whole  world 
and  his  representatives  in  Congress  assembled  any- 

30 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 


thing  he  chose,  his  lips  were  sealed.  His  mind 
seemed  to  be  choked  with  things  he  could  not  say. 
His  family,  when  he  reached  them,  complained 
"we  cannot  get  a  word  of  any  of  his  army  ex- 
perience from  him."  His  friends  said,  "but  he  will 
tell  us  nothing,  and  we  had  expected  to  hear  so 
much."    But  all  saw  that  he  was  suffering  a  mental 


distress  which  made  the  serious  business  of  setting 
about  his  private  affairs  again  practically  impos- 
sible. It  seemed  plain  to  those  about  him  that  there 
was  no  personal  bitterness  or  resentment  hidden 
behind  this  singular  restless,  dejected  state  of  mind 
which  so  utterly  unfitted  him  for  a  return  to  work. 
He  even  seemed  a  bit  queer,  they  thought,  at  times, 
yet  no  clue  to  the  real  trouble  could  be  gotten  from 
him. 

His  family  and  friends    took    counsel    together. 
31 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

They  were  puzzled.  They  were  more — ^they  were 
really  anxious.  "Let  us  avoid  calling  in  a  doctor 
if  possible,"  said  his  wife.  What  wisdom  a  physi- 
cian's wife  often  shows!  For  all  that,  they  finally 
decided  to  call  in  Dr.  John  Ledyard, — not  so  much 
because  he  was  considered  the  best  psychiatrist  in 
the  city,  but  that  he  was  looked  upon  as  really  hav- 
ing a  lot  of  common  sense.  Besides  he  was  a  close 
friend  of  Dr.  Jones. 

When  Dr.  Ledyard  had  had  a  talk  with  Dr.  Jones 
and  gone  over  his  case  carefully  without  having 
arrived  at  any  further  conclusions  than  everyone 
else,  which  was,  that  it  was  a  "queer  case,"  he  came 
out  flatly  with  the  opinion  that  the  patient  should 
have  rest  and  quiet  out  on  a  western  ranch.  Ac- 
cordingly the  details  of  the  journey  were  made,  and 
arrangements  for  a  shack  on  the  ranch  of  an  ac- 
quaintance of  Dr.  Ledyard  completed.  Mrs.  Jones 
was  to  go  with  him,  and  it  was  decided  to  take  the 
boy  and  girl  along,  too. 

When  the  equipment  for  outdoor  life  was  got, 
they  were  ready  to  start.  Though  the  patient 
seemed  to  take  little  or  no  interest  in  the  plans  he 
set  up  no  objections  to  the  project, — this  once 
spirited  and  useful  leader  who  was  now  being  so 
pliantly  led. 

Dr.  Ledyard  was  at  the  train  to  see  them  off  and 
he  promised  that  at  the  end  of  the  summer  he  would 
run  out  for  a  little  visit  with  his  old  friend. 

Thus  it  was  that  the  first  step  toward  the  yet  un- 
thought  of  extraordinary  remedy  which  was  to 
effect  Dr.  Jones's  recovery  was  taken. 

32 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

While  the  country  through  which  they  traveled, 
with  its  bloom  of  early  summer  freshness,  should 
have  roused  the  most  dejected  to  joy  in  merely  liv- 
ing, it  left  the  doctor  wrapped  in  his  thoughts  and 
indifferent.  A  few  days  after  they  arrived  one 
would  have  thought,  except  for  the  cut  of  their 
outing  clothes,  that  they  were  quite  old  inhabitants. 
Mary  and  her  mother  had  set  immediately  to  work 
cleaning  and  making  home-like  the  little  cabin  set 
off  at  a  distant  corner  of  the  ranch.  Dr.  Jones  and 
Fred,  his  son,  had  taken  over  the  task  of  setting  to 
rights  the  long  unused  barn  a  little  distance  from 
the  cabin,  and  making  the  bit  of  ground  around 
these  simple  buildings  as  tidy  and  neat  as  possible. 
They  were  set  up  on  a  little  rise  of  ground  which 
fell  off  quite  sharply  to  the  east  of  the  cabin,  and  at 
the  bottom  of  which  reached  by  a  path  through  a 
bit  of  woods  was  a  sparkling  stream  making  its 
winding  way  along  a  stony  bed.  The  main  build- 
ings of  the  ranch,  a  mile  or  so  away,  were  hidden 
from  view  by  a  little  intervening  knoll  so  that  a 
search  in  all  directions  failed  to  reveal  a  single 
habitation.  The  weather  had  been  perfect  and  the 
blue  of  the  distant  mountains  almost  matched  the 
blue  of  the  sky.  They  were  situated  just  in  that 
interval  between  the  heights  far  away  to  the  west 
of  them,  and  the  plains  off  toward  the  eastward 
which  gave  the  uneven  country  patched  with  forest 
growth  and  park-like  spaces  that  sense  of  wildness, 
and  at  the  same  time  a  look  of  cultivation  which  so 
often  goes  with  that  vast  western  area. 

Four  or  five  weeks  had  slipped  by,  and  who  in 
33 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

that  crystal  atmosphere  gazing  off  on  the  superb 
display  of  nature  with  all  artifice  excluded,  could 
willingly  think  back  on  such  painful  scenes  as  war- 
ring nations  packed  full  of  people  and  only  then 
cooling  off  from  the  heat  of  conflict;  and  yet  the 
bent  head  of  the  doctor  as  he  sat  on  the  little  bench 
by  the  cabin  door  told  its  story  of  a  troubled  and 
still  wounded  mind.  Mary,  who  was  sitting  near 
by  doing  some  mending  and  stealing  from  time  to 
time  little  anxious  glances  at  her  father's  silent  fea- 
tures, laid  her  work  aside  and  exclaimed : 

"Oh,  father!  why  can't  you  just  tell  it  all  to  me?" 

"Ah,  child,"  he  said,  "if  I  only  could."  Then- 
after  a  little  silence,  "how  does  that  thing  of  Steven- 
son's go — 'There's  so  much  good  in  the  worst  of 
us,  and  so  much  bad  in  the  best  of  us'  " — 

"Oh,  yes,"  broke  in  Mary,  "I  know— That  it 
hardly  behooves  any  of  us  to  talk  about  the  rest 
of  us.' " 

"Yes,  yes,"  he  said,  "that's  it!  Stevenson  was 
a  fine  fellow,  but  I've  no  doubt  he  was  thinking  of 
party  politicians  and  newspapers  when  he  jotted 
down  that  text.  It  won't  do  for  my  purpose, 
though — no,  it  won't  do  for  me." 

He  rose  heavily  and  went  into  the  cabin,  while 
Mary,  shaking  her  head  slowly,  picked  up  her 
sewing  again.  Fred  had  been  gone  all  day  and  as 
the  afternoon  waned  Mary  was  not  surprised  to 
hear  in  the  distance  the  cowboy's  whoop  which 
Fred  had  adopted.  He  had  started  off  early  in  the 
morning  to  ride  some  fourteen  miles  down  to  Stay- 

34 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

ville  where  the  little  Post  Ofifice  and  store  were  to 
see  if  there  were  any  letters. 

Though  she  was  not  surprised  to  hear  his  calls, 
which  were  slowly  growing  closer,  there  was  some- 
thing in  the  now  petulant,  now  angry  quality  of 
these  noises  which  made  her  throw  aside  her  work 
and  stand  up  to  see  if  she  could  get  a  glimpse  of 
him  coming  over  one  of  the  little  hills  where  the 
narrow  road  lay.  It  was  not  long  before  her  search 
was  rewarded,  for  coming  out  of  a  little  clump  of 
trees  by  the  road  at  the  foot  of  their  own  hill  could 
be  seen  Fred  doubled  up  in  the  saddle  and  backing 
old  Bessie  with  apparently  an  eflfort  to  get  on  the 
road  again.  It  was  impossible  in  just  that  position 
for  Mary  to  see  him  tugging  at  a  rope.  Her  amaze- 
ment can  partly  be  appreciated  when  the  sight  of  a 
long-eared  animal  on  its  haunches,  which  at  the 
distance  did  not  look  unlike  a  huge  rabbit  about  the 
size  of  a  pony,  came  sliding  out,  as  it  were,  from 
underneath  the  trees  toward  her  brother.  She  ran 
a  little  forward,  not  knowing  in  her  first  impulse 
whether  to  cry  for  help  or  not,  when  suddenly,  and 
apparently  without  any  reason,  the  animal  got  on 
his  four  legs  and  trotted  forward,  passed  Fred  and 
sat  down  again  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  The 
boy,  straightening  up  and  turning  his  horse,  rode 
on  past  his  companion  until  the  rope  became  taut 
again,  when  he  was  halted  after  another  short  slide 
by  the  animal  such  as  the  one  which  greeted  Mary's 
eyes  at  the  first  sight  of  it.  After  a  few  minutes 
of  this  straining  and  tugging  (Mary  could  now  see 
the  rope)  the  boy  launched  another  series  of  whoops 

35 


How  Dr,  Jones  Came  Back 

intermingled  with  some  of  the  choicer  epithets  he 
had  learned  from  a  neighboring  ranchman.  These 
methods,  however,  even  when  coupled  with  jerks  of 
the  rope,  made  apparently  not  the  slightest  impres- 
sion. Again,  without  reason  or  warning,  the  animal 
rose  and  trotted  on.  This  time  Fred  was  quicker 
and  by  keeping  the  rope  slack  followed  on  for  a 
considerable  space  until  the  next  sitting  took  place. 
Then  came  another  slide  by  the  beast,  and  a  few 
more  not  over-carefuUy  chosen  words  from  the  boy, 
and  the  usual  wait  until  at  the  convenience  of  his 
companion  another  stage  in  the  journey  was  ac- 
complished. By  the  time  the  travelers  in  this  fashion 
had  gotten  almost  to  Mary,  Mrs.  Jones  had  arrived 
upon  the  scene  to  learn  the  cause  of  the  unusual 
sounds  which  had  reached  her  in  the  cabin.  Fred, 
when  he  reached  them,  and  with  great  beads  of 
perspiration  falling  from  his  disgusted  and  tired 
countenance,  delved  deep  into  his  pocket. 

"Here's  the  mail,"  he  said,  as  he  thrust  a  crumpled 
package  of  letters  and  papers  toward  his  mother. 

"But  where  on  earth,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jones, 
"did  you  get  that  creature?" 

"Bought  him,"  laconically  muttered  Fred. 

"But  where?" 

"Village,"  said  Fred. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  him?"  asked 
his  mother. 

The  boy,  who  had  turned  around,  replied,  "Take 
him  to  the  barn.    Is  supper  ready?" 

But  the  answer  to  this  question  he  did  not  get, 
for  either  it  was  his  casual  mention  of  the  barn  or 

36 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

for  some  other  utterly  unanswerable  reason,  his 
four-footed  friend  made  a  rush  for  the  building 
spoken  of,  and  it  was  all  Fred  could  do  to  keep 
from  being  pulled  out  of  the  saddle  as  he  urged 
the  tired  Bessie  in  that  direction.  Though  Mary 
and  her  mother  had  come  to  expect  surprises  from 
the  lad,  they  found  it  hard  to  contain  their  amuse- 
ment at  this  last. 

"Oh,  if  father  had  only  been  his  old  self,"  said 
Mary,  "what  wouldn't  he  have  given  to  have  seen 
Fred  as  he  came  up  our  hill." 

With  the  mention  of  the  doctor  the  old  look  of 
anxiety  returned  to  Mrs.  Jones's  eyes,  as  she  drew 
Mary  toward  the  cabin,  saying,  "Come,  we  must 
look  at  our  letters.  Perhaps  there  will  be  some- 
thing to  cheer  your  father  up." 

She  said  this  in  a  rather  hopeless  fashion,  looking 
over  the  package  Fred  had  given  her  as  they  walked 
toward  the  door. 

"Oh,  here  is  a  letter  to  me  from  Dr.  Ledyard !"  she 
exclaimed  as  she  stopped  to  tear  it  open  and  eagerly 
read  it.  "He  says  he  will  be  out  to  see  us  about  the 
middle  of  September,  and  he  hopes  your  father  is 
quite  himself  again  by  this  time.  That  is  only  two 
weeks  off.  I'm  afraid  he  will  not  see  much  change 
in  his  patient,  dear," — putting  her  arm  around 
Mary's  shoulder,  as  they  started  on  again  toward 
the  cabin. 

The  next  day,  when  they  were  all  seated  around 
the  dinner-table  about  noon.  Dr.  Jones  looked  up 
and  addressed  his  son. 

"Fred,"    he    said,    "what    is    that    animal    you 
37 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

brought  back  with  you  yesterday?     I've  been  look- 
ing at  him  this  morning  in  the  barn." 

"A  burro,  the  fellow  said  it  was,"  he  replied. 

"Yes,  I  know,  but  that  isn't  what  I  mean." 

"Oh,  you  want  to  know  what  a  burro  is,"  said 
Fred.  "Well,  maybe  you  could  call  it  the  Ford  of 
the  horse  family, — ^that  is,  before  they  put  the  self- 
starter  into  it." 

His  mother  and  Mary  thought  they  saw  some- 
thing like  a  smile  about  the  doctor's  mouth,  when 
they  compared  notes  later;  but  Fred's  definition 
after  they  had  seen  something  of  his  experience  the 
day  before  did  not  tend  to  make  very  sober  judges 
of  them. 

"No,"  the  doctor  said,  "what  I  wanted  to  know 
is,  how  you  came  by  that  animal  ?" 

"Oh,  I  just  bought  him,  that's  all." 

"Why  did  you  buy  him?" 

"Because  the  fellow  wanted  to  sell  him." 

"How  much  did  you  pay  for  him?"  his  father 
asked. 

"Three  dollars,"  said  Fred. 

"Has  he  a  name?" 

"Sure,  I  named  him." 

"What  is  his  name?"  the  doctor  inquired. 

"Colonel,"  Fred  jerked  out  as  he  got  up  from 
the  table  and  lounged  toward  the  door. 

"Hold  on!"  shouted  his  father,  and  Fred  turned 
around. 

Mary  and  her  mother  both  said  afterwards  they 
were  sure  father  almost  smiled. 

"Look  here,"  said  the  doctor,  "I'll  buy  the— the— 
38 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

I'll  buy  him  from    you.    Will  you  take  six  dollars? 
That's  twice  as  much  as  you  paid." 

"I'll  take  three,"  said  Fred  "if  you  pay  me  right 
now." 

"All  right,"  said  his  father,  taking  out  his  pocket- 
book  and  handing  the  money  to  Fred.  "Now  the 
— the  animal's  mine." 

"Yes,"  said  Fred  slowly,  "he's  yours  now,  dad," 
and  he  rushed  out  of  the  door. 

The  next  morning  the  doctor  was  up  earlier  than 
usual,  and  it  was  remarked  between  Mary  and  her 
mother  just  before  dinner  time  that  he  had  spent  a 
good  part  of  the  forenoon  in  the  barn.  Three  or 
four  days  slid  by,  and  it  was  noticed  that  the  doctor 
was  up  early  every  morning  now,  besides  they 
somehow  thought  he  seemed  to  carry  himself 
straighter.  No  one,  however,  had  noticed  the  doctor 
walking  out  each  morning  from  the  barn  door  which 
opened  away  from  the  cabin,  and  that  with  him 
each  morning  was  the  colonel.  What  took  place 
during  this  earlier  association  between  the  doctor 
and  the  colonel  must  be  left  to  conjecture,  for  there 
is  no  record  of  it.  But  it  was  about  this  time 
when  Fred  was  fooling  around  outside  of  the  barn 
that  his  father's  voice  inside  attracted  his  attention. 
A  large  knot  in  one  of  the  boards  of  the  barn  had 
fallen  out  and  left  a  hole  about  on  the  level  with 
Fred's  eye.  What  he  saw  inside  of  the  barn  made 
him  curious  and  anxious  to  stay,  but  a  sense  of 
honor  which  one  would  have  naturally  expected  a 
child  of  Dr.  Jones  to  have,  made  him  immediately 
withdraw  his  eye  from  the  knothole  and  betake  him- 

39 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

self  to  a  log  a  little  distance  off,  where  he  sat  down 
to  think  over  the  situation.  No,  he  could  not  spy 
on  his  father  that  way,  though  he  was  very  curious 
indeed  to  understand  better  what  that  glimpse  had 
revealed.  There  was  his  father  leaning  back  in  a 
little  old  wooden  chair,  very  much  as  one  might  sit 
in  a  swivel  chair  by  his  desk.  There  was  no  desk, 
however,  but  a  barrel,  turned  bottom  up,  served  as 
one,  and  on  this  his  father  was  lightly  tapping  with 
a  pencil  he  held  in  his  hand.  The  colonel  was  stand- 
ing very  still  in  front  of  his  father  and  apparently 
listening  attentively  to  him.  After  sitting  on 
the  log  a  little  while  longer  and  thinking  over  what 
he  had  seen,  Fred's  curiosity  got  the  better  of  him, 
and  he  made  up  his  mind  to  go  into  the  barn  and 
take  a  chance  on  breaking  up  the  privacy  of  the 
interview  taking  place  there.  He  therefore  betook 
himself  around  to  the  barn  door,  which  he  pushed 
open  and  entered.  Fred  was  rather  taken  aback 
by  the  fact  that  his  father,  on  seeing  him,  evinced 
no  apparent  surprise. 

"Come  in,"  his  father  said,  "and  close  the  door. 
I  was  just  about  to  make  a  few  remarks  to  the 
colonel  here,  which  you,  as  a  citizen  and  a  pro- 
spective member  of  the  medical  profession,  might 
perhaps  profitably  listen  to." 

As  Fred  sat  down,  his  father  continued,  "the 
colonel  and  I  have  after  a  rather  short  acquaintance 
come  to  a  nicety  of  understanding  which  is  proving 
most  satisfactory." 

The  colonel  at  this  point  blinked  his  eyes  and 
started  to  lie  down  and  roll  over,  but  a  little  re- 

40 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

minding  tap  with  the  cane  the  doctor  had  brought 
him  almost  immediately  back  to  "attention." 

"We  have  lapses,"  the  doctor  said  to  his 
son,  "but  they  are  growing  less  frequent."  "Now," 
he  said,  addressing  the  colonel,  "let  us  go  on  with 
these  little  daily  talks  which  are  proving  so  mutu- 
ally helpful.  You,  as  a  representative  of  the  regular 
establishment;  as  an  officer  in  the  Army's  Medical 
Corps,  must  see  that  you  don't  see,  in  fact,  must  see 
that  you  can't  see  or  never  have  been  able  to  see; 
but  let  that  go,  it  is  relatively  a  small  matter.  As 
yet  you  do  not  show  any  signs  of  understanding 
why  we  of  the  medical  profession  in  civil  life  went 
into  army  service.  Now  this  may  surprise  you 
when  you  know  that  we  really  went  in  as  doctors  to 
serve  our  country,  to  serve  the  boys  in  the  camps 
and  in  the  trenches;  and  it  wasn't  at  all  as  you 
supposed,  that  we  went  in  to  serve  you." 

At  this  the  colonel  cooly  turned  his  back  to  the 
doctor  and  raised  his  tail  straight  in  the  air. 

"Sometimes,  Fred,"  said  his  father,  "I  am  almost 
led  to  believe  the  colonel  gives  hardly  more  than 
superficial  attention  to  some  points  which  we  doc- 
tors think  are  quite  important.  Attention !"  shouted 
the  doctor,  "About  FACE !  Into  the  army  we  went, 
Colonel,"  continued  Dr.  Jones  after  his  order  had 
been  executed,  "and  without  hesitation  or  reserva- 
tion we  placed  ourselves  trustfully  and  absolutely 
in  your  hands." 

The  colonel's  right  ear  dropped  down  to  the  side 
in  a  curious  knowing  fashion,  and  he  winked 
slowly. 

41 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 


"Attention !" 

The  ear  stood  up. 

"But,"  the  doctor  went  on,  "though  we  went  in 
with  the  innocence  of  a  lamb,  we  came  out  with 
the  wisdom  of  a  Solomon." 

The  colonel  gave  a  slight  shake. 


"So,"  said  the  doctor,  "if  you  should  consider 
reviving  the  Medical  Reserve  Corps  it  might 
be  best  to  think  the  matter  over  first.  You 
will  find  some  doctors  who  think  highly  of  soldier- 
ing titles,  such  as  Captain  and  Major  and  Colonel; 
you  will  find  others  who  think  more  highly  of  pro- 
fessional and  scientific  usefulness ;  but  you  will  find 
all  will  be  loath  to  acting  as  a  steed  upon  which  the 
regular  medical  corps  can  ride  to  higher  rank  and 
its  own  personal  glory." 

Here  the  colonel  took  a  look  around  the 
42 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

barn.  "No,  Colonel,"  said  the  doctor,  "there 
is  no  one  else  present  here  but  Fred,  so  you 
need  have  no  anxiety.  And  as  we  are  alone," 
— the  doctor's  voice  had  risen  and  become 
more  emphatic, — "let  me  tell  you  this  before  we 
close  this  subject  for  the  morning.  You've  clean 
missed  the  measure  of  the  men  of  the  civil  medical 
profession  who  gave  up  everything  they  had  to  go 
into  this  war  with  you,  and  whose  talents  you  wasted 
like  water  and  whose  character  you  never  took 
count  of.  Tangled  up  in  red  tape  and  held  down 
by  the  inexperienced  boys  you  made  their  com- 
manding officers,  you  compelled  them  to  inaction 
when  they  might  have  been  saving  countless  lives; 
you  doomed  them  by  delays  when  they  might  have 
carried  your  whole  corps  to  real  accomplishment 
and  actual  glory.  Your  responsibilities,  Colonel, 
were  great,  and  if  you  had  taken  the  medical  pro- 
fession in  as  your  partners  in  medical  matters  in- 
stead of  your  inferiors,  you  would  have  won  for 
your  country  much  that  you  have  forever  lost.  They 
made  no  profession  of  military  matters,  but  they 
were  gentlemen  at  heart — most  of  these  medical 
men,, — and  you  need  not  have  been  fearful  or 
jealous  of  your  own  positions  or  your  own  rewards. 

You  were ,"  but  here  the  colonel  could  stand  it 

no  longer.  He  drew  up  his  head  and  flopped  down 
on  his  haunches  and  let  out  the  most  piteous  "hee, 
haw — hee,  haw — hee,  haw, — haw, — haw." 

"Come,  Fred,"  the  doctor  said  as  he  rose,  "we 
may  as  well  go  to  the  cabin,"  and  as  they  walked 

43 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

out  he  added,  "and  I  believe  I  could  eat  some  din- 
ner, too." 

The  fact  that  the  doctor's  appetite  was  returning 
had  not  been  lost  on  Mary  or  her  mother.  Women 
are  keen  observers  in  these  small  matters  which  are 
often  the  straws  telling  the  wind's  direction.  But 
not  until  this  day  had  they  noticed  any  real  signs 
of  encouragement.  It  was  after  dinner  when  they 
were  all  sitting  about  the  doorway  that  the  doctor 
remarked  to  the  family  at  large  as  he  looked  off 
toward  the  blue  heights  in  the  distance.  "Here 
we  have  been  for  almost  two  months  and  I  don't 
believe  any  of  you  appreciate  what  a  beautiful  spot 
this  is,  with  the  brook  and  the  trees  and  the  hills 
and  those  magnificent  mountains  over  there  and 
the  blue  sky  above  us." 

Mary  and  her  mother  exchanged  glances. 

After  this  day  Fred  was  a  regular  attendant  at 
the  morning  conferences,  and  each  day  to  the  family 
were  the  doctor's  returning  spirits  made  more  evi- 
dent. Fred  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  mention 
to  his  mother  or  sister  anything  of  these  morning 
experiences;  for,  as  he  said  to  himself,  "women 
don't  understand  these  things."  Fred  did  not  him- 
self understand  that  all  these  days  in  which  he  had 
not  missed  a  word  of  this  wonderful  and  illuminat- 
ing talk  from  his  father  to  the  "Colonel"  that  his 
father  had  been  taking  this  means  of  unburdening 
his  mind  to  his  boy.  Dr.  Jones  himself  knew  how 
perfectly  useless  it  would  be  to  tell  these  things  to 
the  world;  but  to  talk  them  out  to  someone  made 

44 


How  Dr.  Jones  Came  Back 

him  feel  better  and  in  the  course  of  a  week  he  had 
talked  out  enough  to  make  him  feel  like  quite  a  dif- 
ferent man;  and  when  Dr.  Ledyard  arrived  he 
found  his  patient  cured. 


45 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

ON  this  particular  evening,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, as  I  started  out  to  attend  the  meeting 
of  The  Elite  Obstetrical  Society,  my  mind 
was  not  over-stirred  by  any  special  anticipation  of 
excitement.  That  there  might  be  some  sound  and 
deliberate  debate  was  all  I  had  reason  to  allow  my- 
self the  pleasure  of  looking  forward  to.  I  had  not 
at  all  counted  on  any  other  element  entering  into 
the  occasion  to  lift  my  thoughts  out  of  the  usual 
quiet  conventionality  of  these  gatherings. 

Although  not  especially  engaged  in  the  field  of 
obstetrics  myself  I  still  liked  to  follow  its  prog- 
ress. 

Having  been  away  for  over  two  years  on  account 
of  the  war — that  is,  having  been  away  from  the 
meetings  I  mean,  I  would  have  been  away — that  is, 
well — I  felt  it  was  my  duty  to  remain  at  home  as 
so  many  others  went  into  the  military  service.  As 
I  was  saying,  over  two  years  away  from  these 
obstetrical  meetings  left  me  rather  poorly  informed 
as  to  the  progress  my  obstetrical  friends  had  been 
making  this  while.  I  was  glad,  therefore,  to  be 
going  to  this  meeting  to  polish  up  somewhat  that 
knowledge  which  my  absence  had  rendered  rather 
rusty. 

On  arriving,  the  pleasure  of  meeting  so  many 
old  acquaintances  and  friends  after  so  considerable 
a  lapse  of  time  was  very  gratifying;  and  to  look 

46 


The  N arrow-Minded  Layman 


about   at   this    well-groomed   group   of   successful 
physicians  in  evening  dress  was  indeed  refreshing. 

On  taking  my  seat  I  looked  anew  at  the  pro- 
gram, and  this  time  with  a  special  interest ;  for  I 
had  just  been  presented  to  the  distinguished  guest 
of  the  society,  Dr.  Lightfinger,  who  was  to  deliver 
the  address  to  us  on  that  evening. 

He  was  the  ready  up-and-doing  delightful  type 
of  man  to  whom  we  owe  our  splendid  rapid  urban 
upbuilding  of  the  west.  My  eyes  followed  him 
with  interest  as  he  made  his  way  up  to  the  plat- 
form in  front,  giving  his  rather  large  soft  hand- 
shakes to  the  right  and  left  as  he  passed  on.  In 
personal  appearance,  tall  with  black  curly  hair,  he 
was  distinctly  moulded  for  female  admiration — es- 
pecially for  the  admiration  of  our  newer  type  of 
woman.  One  might  almost  say  that  Nature  her- 
self had  made  of  him  a  lady's 
specialist,  so  altogether  harmoni- 
ous was  he  with  the  field  of  en- 
deavor in  which  he  was  pursuing 
his  career.  He  sat  down  on  the 
right  of  the  chairman.  To  the 
left  ranged  the  other  speakers 
"by  invitation." 

After  the  usual  preliminary 
introduction  in  which  the  chair- 
man introduces  the  speaker  by  ex- 
plaining that  he  needs  no  intro- 
duction, Dr.  Lightfinger  rose  to 
speak.  My  seat  chanced  to  be 
along  the  side  of  the  room  and 

47 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

near  the  front,  so  that  as  the  greeting  of  applause 
broke  forth  I  noted  the  genuineness  of  its  char- 
acter in  the  faces  of  the  audience.  It  was 
at  that  moment  my  eye  caught  sight  of  a  face 
entirely  strange  to  me,  yet  there  were  a  good 
many  other  faces  also  which  were  strange  to 
me  there  that  evening.  Was  it  because  this 
man  remained  with  hands  still  and  with  a  pecu- 
liarly immobile,  or  shall  we  say  sceptical,  ex- 
pression on  his  face  while  others  were  assiduously 
clapping,  that  my  eye  caught  his  person  and  my 
mind  so  suddenly  became  occupied  with  his  per- 
sonality? The  answer  seems  hardly  worth  pur- 
suing, for  whether  it  was  this  or  something  else 
which  aroused  so  immediate  an  interest  is  of  small 
concern  beside  the  fact  that  a  sudden  and  peculiar 
interest  in  this  individual  seemed  all  at  once  to  be 
experienced  by  me.  It  seemed  to  me  he  presented 
a  striking  ruggedness  of  appearance  foreign  to  the 
faces  usually  seen  about  New  York.  There  was 
that  in  his  firm  features  and  direct  clear  eyes  which 
seemed  to  pull  one  up  with  a  kind  of  mental  start. 
A  something  instinctively  reminiscent  of  old  New 
England  ancestry  seemed  to  be  aroused. 

But  such  musing  was  rudely  checked  by  the 
voice  of  the  speaker  as  he  began  his  address.  The 
title  of  which,  as  the  program  announced,  was, 
"My  Method  of  Hand  Delivery  by  Version  of  the 
Child."  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  time  has  robbed 
my  memory  of  so  many  of  the  pleasing  and  well 
rounded  scientific  terms  used  in  this  branch  of 
medicine;  and  that  I  shall  have  to  fall  back  on  sim- 

48 


The  N arrow-Minded  Layman 

pie  descriptive  terms  in  setting  forth  an  account  of 
this  illuminating  evening's  discourse.  In  general, 
however,  I  shall  follow  as  closely  as  possible  the 
doctor's  rendering  of  his  thesis. 

Fortunately  for  my  better  understanding  of  his 
remarks  I  did  remember  the  term  Version  and  that 
it  meant  turning  the  baby  from  its  usual  position 
before  birth,  to  an  opposite  position  where  it  is 
brought  into  the  world  feet  first.  I  also  remem- 
bered that  this  delicate  and  somewhat  hazardous 
procedure  might  be  employed  on  those  rare  occa- 
sions when  it  seemed  necessary  to  relieve  an  ab- 
normal situation  which  threatened  the  life  of  the 
mother  or  child.  The  speaker's  remarks  will  soon 
show  how  far  indeed  behind  in  this  particular 
branch  of  our  profession  I  had  fallen  during  my 
enforced  absence  from  these  meetings. 

"It's  a  great  honor,  I'll  say,  to  have  this  chance 
to  hop  over  East  and  give  you  fellows  here  in  New 
York  my  little  talk."  The  speaker's  easy — one 
might  almost  say  breezy — ^way  of  beginning  his 
discourse  immediately  captivated  us.  "It's 
the  hand-picked  baby,"  he  continued,  "that's 
the  baby  of  the  future.  What's  the  indi- 
cation for  my  method  of  version  and  pull- 
'em-out  operation?  That's  the  question 
everybody  asks  first  thing.  The  answer  is  simple. 
When  a  woman's  going  to  have  a  baby.  Now,  of 
course,  you  can't  expect  the  small  town  and  coun- 
try doctor  to  get  the  big  idea  as  fast  as  us  city 
fellows  do.  Hidebound  conservatism,  that's  their 
trouble.    If  you  want  to  get  any  return  on  your 

49 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

time  spent  in  our  profession  in  these  days  watch 
the  surgeons.  That's  what  I  tell  the  country  prac- 
titioner." This  was  followed  by  some  applause, 
particularly  by  the  younger  men  present.  "Now  I 
suppose  you  want  to  know  the  technic — my  technic 
of  this  little  operation,"  went  on  Dr.  Lightfinger. 
"It's  how  it's  done,  not  why  it's  done;  that's  always 
the  interesting  thing  in  surgery.  For  example,  if 
you  have  an  apple  tree  you  don't  ask  why  you 
want  the  apples  and  you  don't  necessarily  wait  for 
the  apples  to  come  down  by  'emselves  either. 
When  you  see  that  the  apples  are  about  ripe  you 
go  up  after  'em  and  pull  'em  down.  Well,  that's 
what  my  operation    means." 

I  do  not  know  why,  but  for  some  reason  or  other 
my  gaze  happened  to  wander  across  the  room  and 
quite  incidentally  to  light  on  the  face  of  the  stranger 
again.  And  among  all  the  sympathetic  faces  of 
the  listeners  his  struck  me  as  being,  well,  to  say 
the  least,  w«sympathetic  to  our  speaker's  interest- 
ing and  distinctly  progressive  discourse.  I  thought 
little  of  it  at  the  time  and  again  found  my  atten- 
tion fixed  on  Dr.  Lightfinger. 

"When  the  woman  is  ready  to  have  the  baby; 
that  is,  when  the  operator  is  ready  for  her  to  have 
it,"  he  went  on  saying,  "she  is  brought  to  the  op- 
erating room,  and  there  put  under.  Under  is  the 
word.  We  give  her  a  regular  surgical  anaesthesia. 
We  must  make  sure  she  has  it  good  before  the  sec- 
ond or  'business'  stage  of  labor  begins.  If  you 
don't  catch  'em  before  the  real  pains  have  set  in 
you  miss  more  than  half  of  the  thing  that  is  mak- 

50 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 


ing  this  operation  popular.  Make  no  mistake 
about  that,  for  it's  the  avoidance  of  any  discom- 
forts of  having  a  baby  that  takes  with  our  present- 
day  woman."  The  approving  nods  throughout  the 
audience  attested  to  the  fact  of  this  wise  observa- 
tion. "Now  when  the  mother  and  baby  are  thor- 
oughly and  deeply  insensible  and  all  muscular  ef- 
fort and  resistance  suspended,  the  operator  rolls  up 
his  sleeves  and  draws  on  what  we  call  our  'party 
gloves,'  which  come  up  to  the  elbow.  At  this 
point  there  is  no  need  to  hurry.  The  patient  will 
not  run  away.  With  a  pass  of  the  hand  lubricated 
with  soft  soap,  baby  John  or  baby  Jane,  as  the 
case  may  be,  is  grasped  by  the  feet  and  around  our 
little  friend  swings,  looping  the  loop,  so  to  speak, 
and  then — presto! — the  little  feet  are  dragged  into 
sight.  The  fol- 
lowing steps  are 
easy;  just  a  pull, 
then  a  twist,  then 
another  pull,  with 
possibly  a  slight 
tug,  and  there  is 
your  next  Ameri- 
can voter  out  on 
the  table." 

For  a  moment 
the  speaker 
paused  for  breath 
after  this  minute 
and  lucid  descrip- 
tion.   "I  have  de- 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

scribed  the  technic  of  doing  this  operation,"  con- 
tinued the  doctor,  "but  it  is  in  the  management  of 
this  class  of  cases  that  the  trick  really  Hes.  For 
if  you  manage  these  cases  properly  you'll  find  they 
will  Hock  to  you."  On  the  last  words  there  was 
a  perceptible  rustle  in  the  audience  as  it  straight- 
ened itself  up.  "And  remember,"  went  on  the 
speaker,  "each  case  is  an  operation.  A  regular  sur- 
gical operation  with  a  regular  surgical  fee."  It 
seemed  to  me  I  could  hear  a  slight  scraping  on  the 
floor  as  though  chairs  were  being  pulled  just  a 
little  closer  to  the  speaker.  "Last  year,"  went  on 
Dr.  Lightfinger,  "I  had  more  than  a  thousand  of 
these  operations."  As  I  looked  up  I  saw  a  number 
of  the  older  men  figuring  on  little  pieces  of  paper 
or  on  the  backs  of  their  programs.  "Of  all  these 
cases  I  lost  only  seventeen,"  said  the  doctor.  As 
every  one  looked  up  with  surpise  the  speaker  smiled 
and  shook  his  head.  "No,  no,  gentlemen,  I'm  not 
referring  to  my  mortality.  We  will  not  speak  of  that. 
These  seventeen  patients  I  lost  were  so  many  opera- 
tions lost;  for  failing  to  call  me  in  time,  they  had 
their  babies  in  the  oid  way  at  home  before  I  could 
reach  them  to  get  them  into  the  hospital.  With  the 
great  majority  of  our  present-day  women,  how- 
ever," the  speaker  pursued,  "there  is  little  danger 
from  this  kind  of  loss  in  practice.  Our  women  are 
getting  to  dread  any  pain  worse  than  our  fore- 
fathers ever  feared  Satan.  What  with  canned  food 
from  the  delicatessen  shop,  and  electric  cooking  on 
the  table ;  what  with  absolutely  no  exercise  or  house- 
hold work  to  make  them  strong,  they  haven't  the  en- 

52 


The  Narrow- Minded  Layman 

durance  or  the  courage  to  face  pain  or  stand  any 
strain  whatever.  So  usually  it's  no  trouble  to  per- 
suade our  women  of  today  to  see  the  sense  of  my 
'painless  extraction'  method." 

This  little  sally  of  the  doctor's  brought  a  general 
laugh,  for  he  really  could  be  very  funny.  I  say  a 
general  laugh,  but  that  perhaps  is  not  strictly  cor- 
rect, for  a  chance  glance  across  the  room  brought 
the  stranger's  face  at  that  moment  into  my  view. 
In  it  I  beheld  a  most  peculiar  expression,  an  ex- 
pression I  find  difficulty  in  defining.  Was  it  dis- 
gust? Hardly, — I  see  no  reason  for  that.  Per- 
haps it  was  indigestion.  At  any  rate  the  doctor 
was  speaking  again  and  I  turned  my  whole  atten- 
tion once  more  in  his  direction. 

"Now  I  hope  you  will  all  take  up  this  method 
of  the  hand-picked  baby  here  in  New  York,"  Dr. 
Lightfinger  went  on  to  say.  "Why,  there  is  prob- 
ably no  city  in  the  country  as  well  suited  for  this 
operation  as  right  here,  unless  possibly  you  include 
Chicago,  where  the  women  are  simply  a  soft  and 
pleasure  seeking  class,  and  where  they  hardly  know 
what  physical  strength  and  endurance  means.  Be- 
sides," he  added,  "if  you  take  it  up  here  it  will  be- 
come the  fashion  in  Chicago  and  all  over  the  coun- 
try just  as  skyscrapers,  shimmy  dances,  knee  skirts 
and  suflFragettes  have  become  the  general  fashion  in 
all  our  other  cities  bv  your  New  York  example. 

"Now  gentlemen,  in  bringing  my  little  talk  to  a 
close  I  want  to  say  that  I  do  not  claim  that  this 
operation  of  mine  is  the  last  word  in  obstetrics.  I 
feel  rather  that  it  may  be  looked  upon  as  perhaps  a 

53 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

stepping  stone,  and  that  later  we  may  possibly  edu- 
cate our  patients  up  to  expecting  a  Caesarean  op- 
eration as  a  routine  thing,"  With  this  last  far- 
sighted  observation  the  speaker  resumed  his  seat  as 
the  audience  broke  out  in  a  prolonged  applause. 

As  I  glanced  about  the  room  in  interest,  noting 
the  society's  fullness  of  response  to  this  master  of 
obstetrical  methods,  my  eye  unconsciously  fell  once 
more  upon  the  stranger.  Rigid  and  still  he  sat  in 
the  midst  of  our  hearty  demonstration  which  fol- 
lowed our  confrere's  splendid  discourse  on  his  im- 
portant contribution  to  our  profession's  art  and 
knowledge.  Rigid.  Yes,  more  than  rigid  this 
stranger  sat,  his  firm  features  had  taken  on  a  pecu- 
liar tense  expression.  He  looked  as  if  he  were 
about  to  hurl  out  some  crushing  anathema.  Was 
this  only  my  imagination?  I  sat  wondering,  for 
no  one  else  seemingly  was  paying  the  slightest  at- 
tention to  this  strangely  antipathetic  person  with 
his  suppressed  expression. 

But  the  business  of  the  evening  was  being  re- 
sumed and  I  had  no  mind  to  lose  any  of  its  inter- 
esting features  by  a  wandering  inattention.  Quiet 
was  once  more  restored  and  the  chairman  was  on 
his  feet.  His  smiling  face  showing  the  satisfaction 
we  were  all  then  enjoying  as  our  minds  lingered 
over  the  words  and  wisdom  of  our  eminent  guest. 
He  was  saying  just  what  chairmen  always  say  at 
this  juncture,  "but,"  he  added  with  a  flutter  of 
originality,  "we  have  not  partaken  of  all  our  in- 
tellectual food  as  yet."  Which  witticism  brought 
from  two  or  three  of  our  quicker  minded  members 

54 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

a  precipitate  laugh.  "We  have  here,"  continued 
our  chairman  as  he  pointed  to  the  gentleman  on 
his  left,  "a  noted  specialist  in  our  field  of  work,  and 
one  who  is  little  behind  Dr.  Lightfinger  himself  in 
the  employment  and  the  expounding  of  modern 
methods."  I  am  sorry  I  cannot  recall  this  gentle- 
man's name.  To  me  he  was  a  stranger,  and  I  had 
been  taking  much  interest  in  a  quiet  study  of  his 
personality  as  I  sat  below  him,  I  like  to  make 
these  little  studies  and  from  such  observation  make 
deductions  and  thus  determine  where  people  come 
from  and  what  their  rating  at  home  may  be.  But 
where  this  gentleman  came  from  puzzled  me.  It 
was  either  from  Brooklyn  or  London,  I  felt  quite 
sure.  Some  things  about  him  suggested  Brooklyn, 
yet  when  he  rose  slowly  to  speak — but  I  must  get 
back  to  the  subject. 

The  gentleman  had  already  risen  and  was  lift- 
ing Dr.  Lightfinger  to  a  pinnacle  of  permanent 
fame.  He  had  himself,  he  said,  been  a  student  of 
this  master's  remarkable  technical  skill.  He  told  of 
his  long  acquaintance  with  the  doctor  and  his  ad- 
miration of  his  progressive  work.  And  with  a 
large  number  of  other  pleasing  remarks  he  brought 
his  words  to  a  close  and  gracefully  resumed  his 
chair. 

The  discussion  of  the  subject  was  then  thrown 
open  and  one  after  another  of  our  society's  pro- 
fessors rose  to  speak.  There  was  none  but  spoke 
in  praise  of  our  guest's  ability  in  operating  upon 
the  expectant  mothers.  Some  of  our  more  conserva- 
tive professors  hesitated  to  advise  that  all  women 

55 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

should  be  delivered  in  the  fashion  Dr.  Light- 
finger  advocated  and  personally  practiced;  but  I 
cannot  recall  one  who  came  out  with  a  flat  denial 
that  Dr.  Lightfinger  was  not  pursuing  the  right, 
the  proper  and  the  scientific  course. 

Not  being  a  specialist  in  this  work  myself  it 
would  be  presumptuous  indeed  for  me  not  to  look 
to  the  wisdom  of  our  own  professors  as  conclusive 
and  not  to  admire  with  them  the  great  advance  in 
the  field  of  obstetrics  I  had  the  honor  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  on  that  long  to  be  remembered 
evening. 

As  I  looked  toward  our  chairman  I  saw  his  eyes 
roving  the  room  for  any  further  discussion  of  the 
subject.  By  his  side  sat  Dr.  Lightfinger,  his  face 
lighted  with  that  quiet  satisfaction  and  pride  which 
one  sees  in  the  countenance  of  those,  who  having 
scaled  the  heights,  sit  in  peaceful  contemplation  of 
the  scene  below.  All  about  the  room  the  faces 
seemed  to  reflect  that  contentment  which  one  might 
expect  as  the  aftermath  of  the  splendid  intellectual 
excursion  upon  which  we  had  been  carried  that 
evening. 

The  chairman,  it  seemed  to  me,  was  about  to 
turn  his  smiling  face  to  our  eminent  guest  and 
speaker  and  oflfer  to  him  the  opportunity  of  any 
closing  remarks,  when — when  rising  slowly  to  his 
feet  I  beheld  the  stranger — the  individual  who  had 
drawn  my  attention  so  often  during  the  evening. 
My  breath  caught  in  astonishment.  His  strangely 
compelling  features  seemed  to  me  oddly  set.  I  do 
not  know  what  impression  the  others  in  the  room 

56 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

may  have  had  as  the  man  came  to  his  feet.  I  saw 
no  unusual  signs  of  surprise  as  I  glanced  quickly 
about  and  over  their  faces.  From  the  chairman's 
face  there  certainly  shone  the  same  affable  and  at- 
tentive expression  as  he  formally  inclined  his  head 
to  indicate  to  this  man  who  had  risen  that  he  had 
the  floor.  A  queer  feeling  came  over  me.  Was 
my  astonishment  then  entirely  unfounded,  entirely 
a  thing  of  my  own  imagining?  Why  indeed  did 
the  occurrence  of  this  person's  rising  set  any  emo- 
tions loose  within  me?  Did  I  expect  a  rude  and 
incoherent  outburst?  An  outburst  which  would 
shatter  that  fine  mental  state  to  which  we  all  had 
been  exalted — and  which  only  scientific  men  can 
know?  The  next  moment  I  felt  a  fool  and  that 
was  the  quick  answer  to  my  forebodings;  for  the 
low  tones  of  the  stranger's  voice  were  already  roll- 
ing slowly  and  indeed  very  coherently  forth.  I 
gasped  internally  to  think  that  I  should  have  antici- 
pated an  unruly  demonstration  from  him — this 
man  of  the  quiet,  even  voice. 

"Mr.  Chairman,"  he  was  saying,  "I  do  not  wish 
to  enter  upon  any  discussion  of  the  subject  pursued 
here  this  evening  under  a  misapprehension  of  the 
fact  that  I  am  simply  a  layman,  and  chance  to  be 
present  as  an  acquaintance  of  one  of  your 
members." 

Now  it  is  a  little  unusual  for  a  non-professional 
man  to  attend  our  meetings,  and  it  is  rather  more 
unusual  for  him  to  essay  his  opinions.  Never- 
theless we  are,  as  it  is  very  well  known,  an  un- 
usually  broad-minded   profession,  and  without  hesi- 

57 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

tation  the  chair  ruled  that  unless  any  member  ob- 
jected we  would  welcome  the  stranger's  remarks. 
There  being  no  objection  offered,  the  stranger 
bowed  his  acknowledgment,  and  moving  a  few 
steps,  came  to  the  side  of  a  table  by  the  wall. 
He  then  turned  so  that  he  faced  us  all.  Once  he 
had  turned  he  gave  the  impression  of  being  planted 
there,  so  firmly  did  he  seem  to  stand.  For  full  a 
minute  the  man  remained  perfectly  silent,  looking 
into  the  faces  of  his  audience.  Looking  deep  into 
us,  it  seemed  to  me. 

I  cannot  tell  what  was  passing  at  this  moment  in 
the  minds  of  the  others.  Much  less  can  I  describe 
my  own  thoughts.  A  grotesque  image  appeared 
to  rise  in  my  mind.  The  man  before  us  gave 
me  the  strange  impression  of  a  powerful  piece  of 
rapid  fire  artillery  and  that  we  were  all  actually 
looking  into  a  cannon's  mouth.  The  absurd  fancy 
carried  itself  on.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  each  one 
of  us  was  experiencing  the  same  impression. 

The  room  was  very  still.  What  could  he  have 
to  say,  a  mere  layman,  in  this  gathering  of  highly 
trained  and  scientific  men?  I  was  beginning  al- 
most to  feel  uncomfortable  for  him  as  he  stood 
there  silent  and  fixed.  Then  came  his  words.  I 
might  well  have  saved  my  sympathy,  for  his  be- 
ginning indicated  no  need  of  moral  support. 

"What  measure  may  be  employed,"  began  the 
stranger,  "to  estimate  the  esteem  which  is  the  heri- 
tage of  the  physician?  From  antiquity  forward, 
what  profession  is  there  which  has  been  so  faith- 
fully followed,   so   implicity  trusted   and   so   pro- 

58 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

foundly  respected?"  His  clear,  precise  words, 
though  spoken  in  the  lowest  tones,  carried  to  every 
corner  of  the  large  meeting  room.  "You  doctors, 
you  who  are  the  champions  of  humanity,"  he  went 
on,  "I  stand  before  you — a  picked  few  of  you  sta- 
tioned at  the  peak  of  your  profession.  You  stand 
atop  of  wonder.  The  world  gapes  upwards  at 
your  achievements." 

Oh,  how  I  had  misjudged  him!  This  man  with 
the  even  tones  and  percdving  mind.  I  looked 
about  at  his  eager  auditors.  They,  too,  were  not 
missing  a  word.  Our  distinguished  guest  and 
speaker  of  the  evening  seemed  to  me  to  be  larger 
and  broader;  he  seemed  actually  to  have  swelled  in 
all  dimensions  as  he  sat  there  next  to  our  smiling 
chairman. 

But  the  stranger  was  proceeding.  "Times 
change.  Conditions  alter.  Men  get  new  and  dif- 
ferent impressions  of  their  fellowmen,"  went  on 
the  layman.  "My  father  was  a  physician.  In  him 
my  respect  for  your  profession  was  born.  We  lived 
in  a  small  New  England  community.  There  it  was 
he  dedicated  himself  to  his  difficult  life  work.  His 
pay  was  meagre, — but  his  reward  was  great; 
for  he  was  conscious  of  the  service  he  rendered ;  the 
service  he  gave  in  trying  to  guide  his  people  in  the 
pathway  of  God's  laws  as  prescribed  by  Nature." 
As  I  looked  around  I  could  see  that  the  fine  simile 
he  had  drawn  had  not  gone  unnoticed.  "I  repeat," 
went  on  the  speaker,  "men  get  new  impressions  of 
their  fellowmen."     There  was  an  emphasis  put  into 

59 


The  Narrow-Minded  Laytnan 

this  last  remark  which  seemed  to  straighten  the 
backs  of  his  Hsteners. 

"I  have  been  in  your  great  city  here  but  a  few 
days.  Chance  has  thrown  in  my  way  a  few 
ghmpses  of  the  modern  physician — the  physician 
who  is  thrilHng  the  world  with  his  new  conquests. 
It  is  in  the  great  city  you  find  the  essence  of  this 
modern  medical  man  who  is  leading  the  world 
on" — he  repeated  slowly — "on,  on,  to  what?"  His 
hearers  were  now  all  alert  as  he  continued.  "It 
will  not  take  long  to  sketch  the  trend  of  humanity 
in  the  hands  of  this  present  medical  profession." 
The  speaker  was  leading  on  to  a  fine  climax,  I 
felt  sure  of  that.  As  I  looked  up  the  audience  ap- 
peared as  if  it  wanted  to  clap,  waiting  only  for  the 
speaker's  pause.  "I  will  tell  you  just  a  few  facts 
which  have  come  before  my  face,  during  this  one 
day,  and  in  your  own  particular  specialty  of  the 
baby  and  how  its  career  is  directed.  They  were  in- 
teresting facts,"  he  continued,  "and  perhaps  they 
may  solve  some  problems  in  our  present  social  puz- 
zles, when  they  receive  thoughtful  attention." 

The  room  remained  very  quiet  as  we  all  listened 
to  hear  his  summing  up  of  our  great  profession's 
progress. 

"This  afternoon  I  chanced  out  on  your  brilliant 
Fifth  Avenue,"  he  started.  "A  luxurious  motor 
was  rolling  by.  I  saw  a  little  man  with  a  little 
pointed  beard  leaning  back  amidst  the  cushions. 
'There,'  exclaimed  my  companion,  'is  one  of  our 
most  eminent  physicians.  He  has  made  over  a  mil- 
lion dollars !' "   Several  of  the  younger  men  at  this 

60 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

moment  involuntarily  clapped  their  hands.  "Over 
a  million  dollars,"  slowly  repeated  the  speaker, 
"teaching  mothers  how  to  mix  cow's  milk  and  sugar 
to  fool  their  new-born  babies  with,  while  they 
hunted  pleasure  and  excitement  in  their  skins  of 
slaughtered  animals  and  feathers  of  slain  birds." 

Several  of  our  prominent  physicians  looked  up  in 
utter  surprise  at  this  sudden  suggestion  of  criticism. 
How  absurd  indeed  for  this  layman  to  be  express- 
ing his  narrow-minded  views  of  our  scientific  af- 
fairs. What  could  he  know  of  our  far-sighted 
goal,  anyway? 

"All  doctors,"  he  went  tensely  on,  "I  am  told, 
have  now  learned  how  to  instruct  mothers  in  this 
method  of  defrauding  the  infant  of  its  natural  food, 
and  natural  birthright."  What  does  he  mean? 
What  is  this  layman  driving  at?  That  was  the 
question  I  read  on  all  the  faces  of  his  listeners  as 
I  glanced  about.  "This,"  went  on  the  speaker  in 
even  more  distinct  terms,  "may  be  looked  upon  as 
one  of  the  steps  leading  up  to  our  present  shame- 
ful and  disorderly  social  state." 

"  'Come,'  my  companion  next  said  to  me,"  the 
stranger  went  on  saying,  "  'and  I  will  show  you 
some  of  these  bottle-fed  babies — those  that  have 
survived  and  are  now  grown  up.'  He  took  me  into 
a  large  and  ornate  hotel  near  by.  He  showed  me 
a  great  room  edged  with  little  tables.  The  room 
was  filled  with  boys  and  girls  in  their  teens.  The 
girls  were  being  hugged  and  danced  about  on  the 
polished  floor,  or  inhaling  cigarettes  at  the  small 
tables.    The  boys   were  pouring  out   drinks  from 

61 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

their  pocket  flasks.  'This/  said  my  guide,  'is  the 
generation  of  cheated  children,  by  the  selfish  or  in- 
capable mothers,  tutored  by  their  doctors.  Here 
is  the  dressing  room  where  the  little  girls  check 
their  corsets  and  paint  their  lips  before  going  in  to 
dance!'" 

The  room  seemed  to  have  gotten  warm  and  op- 
pressive. I  not  only  noticed  it  myself,  but  I  saw 
that  the  others  had  also.  The  chairman  was  wiping 
his  brow.  They  must  have  turned  on  an  extra  sup- 
ply of  steam  heat,  I  found  myself  thinking;  for  it 
certainly  was  getting  stuffy  in  that  room.  But 
somehow  everyone  seemed  to  sit  up  quite  straight 
as  his  next  words  shot  out.  "But  tonight,"  his 
voice  had  risen,  "I  learn  that  even  God's  plan  of 
giving  birth  to  babies  is  about  to  be  abandoned. 
That  besides  forcing  unnatural  nourishment  upon 
the  infant,  it  is  to  be  forced  into  the  world  by  un- 
natural means.  That  each  birth  is  to  become  an  al- 
together artificial  act.  That  each  mother  and  her 
baby  is  to  be  drugged  with  the  potent  poison  of  an 
anaesthetic,  on  the  far  off  effect  of  which  no  one 
dare  venture  an  opinion.  Supposing  our  women 
do  fear  the  pains  of  labor,  what  does  that  mean? 
It  means  that  they  have  been  allowed  to  slide  down 
the  slope  of  degeneracy  into  a  state  of  physical  un- 
fitness for  motherhood.  And  the  only  answer  to 
that  from  an  intelligent  medical  profession  is  to 
see  that  they  are  guided  back  to  that  state  of  strength 
and  health  which  is  their  human  heritage." 

I  could  see  his  listeners  getting  distinctly  restless. 
For  myself   I   do  not  pretend  to  know  anything 

62 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

about  this  specialty  so  was  not  especially  impressed 
with  the  stranger's  remarks. 

"Each  birth,"  he  went  on,  "is  to  become  a  high- 
priced  surgical  operation  so  that  your  fees  will 
compare  favorably  with  your  brothers,  the  surgeons 
who  have  grown  rich  ahead  of  you." 

Was  it  that  the  speaker  was  getting  taller  and 
larger,  or  was  it  that  his  listeners  were  shrinking? 
Perhaps  it  was  simply  an  optical  illusion  on  my 
part. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "I  commence  to  see  the  mean- 
ing of  the  'onward'  movement  of  this  modern  medi- 
cal profession."  None  of  us  liked  this  last  re- 
mark and  I  think  some  of  us  would  have  shown 
our  resentment  if — well,  if  the  stranger  hadn't  kept 
right  on  shooting  out  his  remarks.  "Once,"  he 
continued,  "the  medical  profession  was  an  honored 
profession  pointing  out  to  struggling  humanity  the 
ways  of  Nature  as  the  path  to  follow,  the  laws  of 
Nature  as  the  laws  to  respect.  With  self  sacrifice 
and  earnest  effort,  they  pursued  their  way,  pointing 
out  to  their  trusting  patients  the  cost  of  greed  and 
artificiality  and  personal  selfishness,  and  the  tax  it 
levies  on  posterity.  Is  it  on  this  hard-earned  and 
honorable  reputation  that  you  doctors  of  today  are 
entirely  capitalized  ?" 

His  last  remarks  were  hurled  out  in  such  a  way 
that  there  was  brought  back  to  my  mind  that  early 
impression  of  him  as  he  stood  like  a  rugged  piece 
of  field  artillery  getting  the  range.  He  was  cer- 
tainly getting  his  range.  "What  excuse,"  he  thun- 
dered,  "has   the   medical   profession  to   make    for 

63 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 


playing  into  the  hands 
of  human  depravity  and 
degeneracy  ?  That  is 
the  question  which 
keeps  corning  back 
when  I  see  the  children 
who  have  been  tricked 
out  of  their  mother's 
milk  —  and  m  o  t  h  e  r's 
care — and  mother's  love 
and  guidance."  His 
words  were  coming 
very  hot  and  fast  now. 
There  was  an  apathetic 
vQ^  look,  I  thought,  about 
the  audience,  or  was  it  apoplectic,  for  some  were 
looking  very  red  indeed!  "There  was  a  time,"  he 
went  boldly  on,  "when  the  worthless  women  who 
refused  to  nurse  their  babies,  or  the  sickly  women 
who  could  not  nurse  their  babies,  were  looked 
upon  as  not  fit  for  the  high  estate  of  motherhood. 
A  time  when  the  moral  stand  of  the  good  phy- 
sician allowed  no  compromise  on  this." 

At  this  point  I  thought  surely  one  of  our  great 
professors  would  have — would  have — well,  would 
have  gotten  up  and  said  something;  I,  of  course, 
as  I  explained,  was  really  out  of  the  discussion. 
The  speaker's  words  were  booming  out  again. 

"The  handiwork  of  the  modern  physician  speaks 
for  itself.  At  the  top  of  society  his  results  roar 
out  their  evidence.  He  has  taught  the  pampered 
rich  how  to  spawn  their  puny  posterity.     The  fash- 

64 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

ion  is  fixed  for  the  masses  to  follow.  A  degen- 
erated population  cries  out  its  origin.  Crimes, 
crookedness  and  confusion  have  polluted  our 
generation.  A  state  of  moral  and  physical  unfit- 
ness reaches  from  the  top  of  society  down  to  the 
very  bottom  of  it."  He  finished  off  with  a  snap 
of  his  powerful  jaws.  It  was  very  unpleasant  to 
hear  them  come  together. 

He  was  raising  his  clinched  and  brawny  fist 
above  the  little  table,  and  drawing  in  his  breath  to 
hurl  out  another  epithet.  I  remember  thinking  at 
that  particular  moment  of  what  would  happen  to  the 
table  when  that  fist  came  down  on  it.  The  faces 
of  his  listeners  wore  a  peculiar  look;  a  furtive 
look.  Some  were  restless.  Some  were  red.  His 
big  voice  broke  out  again.  I  lost  his  words;  for 
just  then  a  most  shocking  thing  occurred.  One  of 
our  professors  (the  one  whose  splendid  student's 
manual  was  making  such  a  stir  in  professional  cir- 
cles— the  book  entitled  "Cow's  Milk  for  Kiddy 
While  Mother  Roams")  suddenly,  and  without  the 
slightest  warning,  toppled  forward  from  his  seat. 
Several  nearest  by  rushed  to  his  aid.  He  was 
prone  on  the  floor  before  he  could  be  reached.  A 
considerable  confusion  followed.  A  half  dozen  or 
so  grasped  our  confrere  and  bore  him  from  the 
room.  Our  professor  was  not  a  lightweight.  The 
broad  doors  of  the  apartment  had  been  quickly 
thrown  wide.  With  the  bearers  of  the  burden 
many  others  followed.  A  general  exodus  ensued. 
It  was  not  especially  orderly.  As  I  glanced  back 
into  the  room — passing  out  with  the  others — there 

65 


The  Narrow-Minded  Layman 

stood  the  stranger,  the  audacious  layman,  his  arm 
still  raised.  His  voice  was  stilled,  but  on  his  face 
there  lingered  the  strangest  look.  I  can  still  see 
him  as  he  stood  there,  a  faint  enigmatic  smile 
frozen  about  his  lips. 

After  seeing  the  professor  sufficiently  revived  and 
taken  away  in  his  motor,  and  after  learning  from 
one  of  our  diagnosticians  that  it  was  nothing  more 
than  "a  slight  ptomaine  attack"  which  he  had  suf- 
fered, I  strolled  homeward  myself,  my  mind,  as 
can  be  imagined,  very  full  of  the  unusual  occur- 
rence visited  upon  our  meeting  that  evening. 


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